Staff Reports
President Joe Biden is under fire from his own party following a lackluster debate performance against former President Donald Trump, with growing calls for him to step down. However, the discontent extends beyond Biden, with progressive firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asserting that Democrats not ready to combat “fascism” should also consider retirement.
Reports indicate a sense of defeat within the Democratic Party, with one senior lawmaker conceding the difficulty of defeating Trump. This sentiment was exacerbated by polling showing Trump leading the race and an attempted assassination of the former president over the weekend.
If you’re a “senior Democrat” that feels this way, you should absolutely retire and make space for true leadership that refuses to resign themselves to fascism.
This kind of leadership is functionally useless to the American people. Retire. https://t.co/5oKQeMrOI0
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 15, 2024
Despite the wave of uncertainty and unease among Democratic strategists following the tragic incident, Ocasio-Cortez remains resolute in her demand for leadership that resists resigning to what she perceives as fascism. She deems leaders who don’t embody this ethos as “functionally useless” and calls for their retirement to make way for what she considers true leadership.
The recent upheaval within the Democratic Party has sparked debates on the viability of replacing Biden as the nominee. Speculation swirls about the potential consequences of destabilizing the ticket, with some strategists expressing concerns about lagging poll numbers and the challenges posed by such a significant shift in leadership amidst a national crisis.
Amidst these tumultuous times, the academic perspective offered by Princeton University’s Julian Zelizer suggests that the recent assassination attempt on Trump could temporarily shift the focus away from internal party struggles. The nation’s attention is understandably preoccupied with the aftermath of the incident, potentially leading some Democrats to prioritize unity and stability over pursuing a new nominee.
